Hope for the New Year for Burma

There are moments when working towards democracy in Burma is difficult--when there is little light at the end of the tunnel. For over twenty years, I have been engaged in one of the great struggles of our time.  For many of those years we have ended the year without significant progress. It has been difficult coming to the office to hear about another friend thrown into prison. Or to learn about another village burned, more families forced to flee for their lives. Please consider making a contribution to our movement today as we enter a new, critical year for Burma.  But this year is different--we have two great gifts to celebrate. For the first time since the U.S. Campaign for Burma was founded, Aung San Suu Kyi is free. For the first time, we are working in concert with our leader mobilizing people to action.  Our second gift is the progress we have made towards finally holding the military regime accountable for its crimes. For years, the international community paid no attention while the regime denied abusing ethnic groups. But this lie is closer to being confronted by the international community after decades of neglect.  So there is much to celebrate as we end 2010. We want to thank you so much for your support and making these efforts possible. Our staff is small--only five people working full time. But we manage to magnify your voice and the voices of other Burma activists on the global stage.  This is due to your support: our grassroots supporters are the biggest funders for our campaign. Without you, we could not join together to make sure that the people of Burma know they have American support. Without you, we would not be able to push policymakers in Washington to make Burma a priority. Without you, we would not be able to secure millions of dollars of aid for survivors of the regime's atrocities. Without you, we would be missing a critical link in Burma's global solidarity movement.  Please consider making a contribution to our movement today as we enter a new, critical year for Burma.  We want you to know that your contribution to USCB leads directly to lives being saved on the ground in Burma. Your contribution has a huge multiplier affect--USCB helps secure U.S. funding of millions of dollars of "cross border" aid to groups working on Burma's borders. Last year, $4 million was sent to border groups who risk their lives by providing healthcare and education to Burma's conflict areas. Since 2006, we have secured tens of millions of US dollars for cross-border aid. Your support also has a huge multiplier affect on global Burma policy. When the US leads on Burma policy, many countries follow. For example in August of this year Obama came out in support of an investigation into crimes against humanity in Burma. In the following month, 8 other countries announced their support. Our work really spans the globe and changes the international conversation on Burma. Finally, we want to let you know that the people inside Burma working for change are well aware of American support for their cause. My friends inside Burma understand that they have an ally in the United States--and they are immensely grateful for your support. Help us give Burma's democracy activists more support by making a year-end gift today. You are part of one of the world's most significant global solidarity movements. For twenty years we have worked to restore hope to a country that is run by brutal dictators. Our movement showed its strength when Aung San Suu Kyi was released in November due to global pressure. But we cannot stop here. We have much to do. We need your support to make sure that Aung San Suu Kyi's latest release translates into meaningful change in Burma, not more of the same. This support comes through your calls, emails, community events, film screenings, and your financial support. As we end the year, we are grateful for your time and consideration of supporting USCB. Thank you for all of your support for the U.S. Campaign for Burma and the people of Burma. We are truly grateful to work with you in one of the great struggles of our time. Have a Great New Year, Aung Din Executive Director Former Burmese Political Prisoner

'Queen of Burma' Title Bestowed on Daw Aung San Suu Kyi

NEW DELHI — Aung San Suu Kyi is to be awarded the honory title of “Queen of Burma's Democracy and Human Rights” by an Indian human rights organization, Manav Ekta Parishad, on Thursday.

The organization said it was bestowing the title on Suu Kyi to create awareness among Indians of the democracy movement and the violation of human rights in Burma, and to send a message of respect to Suu Kyi and her supporters.

“By honoring her as a hero for her perseverance, bravery and sacrifice, we want Indians to know more about the democracy and human rights struggle in Burma. We want Aung San Suu Kyi to know we stand with her,” said T D Singh, the national secretary of Manav Ekta Parishad, adding that the group believes Suu Kyi will bring democracy to Burma.

The title comes with the presentation of a bronze royal dagger which will be awarded to her in absentia at the head office of the organization located in Faridabad in Haryana State.

“As we honor her as the Queen of Burma's Democracy and Human Rights, the royal dagger of the ancient Burmese kings is a symbol of her honor, of her utmost honesty and her sacrifice for democracy,” said Singh. “She is an inspiration to democracy and human rights activists everywhere.”
Manav Ekta Parishad was founded in 2007, and says it works on projects dealing with human rights education, and fighting against discrimination over religion, caste and clan.

“We believe this [award] will awaken the Indian government's silence over the democracy movement in Burma,” said Dr. Tint Swe, an NLD member and minister of the National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma who lives in Delhi, and who will receive the honorable title on Suu Kyi's behalf.
In 2007, Suu Kyi was awarded the first Subhas Chandra Bose award by the Netaji Subhas Foundation. And as far back as 1993, the Indian government awarded her the Jawaharlal Nehru Award in recognition of her struggle for democratic change in Burma.

Indian Foreign Minister S M Krishna added his voice to the chorus of support for Suu Kyi, calling her release “the beginning of a process of reconciliation,” while he also praised Burma's general election on Nov. 7 as an important step toward change in the country.

Aung San Suu Kyi Reunited with Her Son

 
Kim Aris, right, son of Aung San Suu Kyi, left, shows his arm tattooed with a symbol of his mother's NLD party's flag on his arrival at Yangon (Rangoon) International Airport on Nov. 23. (Photo: AP)

RANGOON — Burma's pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi was reunited Tuesday with a son she last saw a decade ago, in an emotional moment at the Rangoon airport 10 days after she was released from detention.

Kim Aris, 33, was finally granted a visa by the military regime after waiting for several weeks in neighboring Thailand. Just before walking into the airport terminal, the 65-year old Suu Kyi, who was released Nov. 13 after more than seven years under house arrest, told reporters, "I am very happy."

A smiling Suu Kyi slipped her arm around her son's waist as the two posed briefly for photographers.

Through her lawyer Nyan Win, Suu Kyi thanked the authorities for issuing the visa to her son, who resides in Britain and last saw his mother in December 2000. He has repeatedly been denied visas ever since by the ruling junta.

Suu Kyi, who won the 1991 Nobel Peace prize for her nonviolent struggle for democracy, was first arrested in 1989 when Kim was 11 and elder son Alexander 16. She has been detained for 15 of the past 21 years.

In an interview last week with The Associated Press, Suu Kyi acknowledged that her years of political work had been difficult for her family.

"I knew there would be problems," she said of her mid-life decision to go into politics. "If you make the choice you have to be prepared to accept the consequences."

Suu Kyi, who was largely raised overseas, married the British academic Michael Aris and raised their two sons in England.

But in 1988, at age 43, she returned home to take care of her ailing mother as mass demonstrations were breaking out against military rule. She was quickly thrust into a leadership role, mainly because she was the daughter of Aung San, the country's martyred founding father.

Elder son Alexander accepted the Nobel Peace Prize on his mother's behalf in 1991—while she was serving an earlier term of house arrest—and reportedly lives in the United States.

Michael Aris died of prostate cancer in 1999 at age 53, after having been denied visas to see his wife for the three years leading up to his death. Suu Kyi has never met her two grandchildren.

While her family supported her, she said her sons had suffered particularly badly.

"They haven't done very well after the breakup of the family, especially after their father died, because Michael was a very good father," she said. "Once he was no longer there, things were not as easy as they might have been."

But she added that she always had their support: "My sons are very good to me," she said. "They've been very kind and understanding all along."

Long Cut Off, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi Embraces a Brave New World

When Aung San Suu Kyi was freed after more than seven years of house arrest last Saturday, she immediately got an introduction to an aspect of life that has changed dramatically in the time she has spent in detention.

As she looked out at the sea of her supporters who had gathered to witness the moment of her release, hundreds of digital cameras and cell phones began snapping images of her. She was so struck by this display of the proliferation of modern technology that she couldn't help but comment on it when she made her first full speech at the National League for Democracy (NLD) headquarters the next day.

“I see camera-phones all over the place. This shows the development of communication,” she said, quickly adding: “This development must be used for the good of the majority. Communication brings understanding. Please use communication to foster mutual understanding and unity.”
Even speaking into one of these “camera-phones” was a learning experience for Suu Kyi, who used one to have an “emotional” conversation with her 33-year-old son, Kim Aris, soon after her release.
“I used a phone like this for the first time yesterday,” she said to her audience, after asking everyone to hold up their phones. “Six years ago these did not exist here. I did not even know where to talk into.”

The front page of the First Eleven, with a hidden message announcing Aung San Suu Kyi's release.

Now Suu Kyi, whose power to attract huge crowds shows no signs of waning—a testament to both her enduring appeal and the profound unpopularity of the ruling regime—has discovered a new way to reach an audience eager to catch her every word.
And it's not just the people who want to hear what she has to say. According to NLD officials, at least 300 media organizations from around the world are queuing for interviews with “the Lady.”
So far, Suu Kyi has not been prevented from speaking to her supporters or reporters; but the junta is notoriously wary of allowing information to flow too freely. Especially since the Buddhist monk-led Saffron Revolution of September 2007, the regime has kept the Internet under tight control.

More recently, Internet users in Burma reported a sudden drop in connection speeds as the country prepared to go to the polls on Nov. 7. This, along with a complete ban on foreign reporters covering the election, was seen by international media watchdogs as further evidence of the regime's determination to control the message coming out of the country.

Now that the election is over and the regime-backed party is assured of winning, the junta appears to have relaxed its stranglehold over the flow of information. Internet speeds are back to normal and a handful of international journalists have managed to get into the country. Local media have also been able to report Suu Kyi's release.

But what passes for normal in Burma would still be regarded as extremely restrictive in almost any other country. According to the Rangoon-based journalists, the Burmese censorship board, the Press Scrutiny and Registration Division (PSRD), has ordered domestic media to carry limited news about Suu Kyi.

Media groups inside Burma were keen on reporting Suu Kyi's public speech on Sunday, but were largely unable to do so due to restrictions by the PSRD. Other restriction were also strictly enforced.
“We couldn't run any large photos of Suu Kyi or put her photo on the front page,” said an editor in Rangoon, adding that only “positive” comments from Suu Kyi's speech were permitted for publication.

But freedom-long Burmese journalists were not about to be deterred from giving the biggest story of the year its due. One publication, the leading sports journal First Eleven, used a clever combination of headlines about English Premier League match results to splash news of  Suu Kyi's release on its front page.
By playing with the placement and lettering colors of some innocent-looking headlines—“Sunderland Freeze Chelsea,” “United Stunned by Villa” and “Arsenal Advance to Grab Their Hope”—the journal was able to spell out a very different message: “Su Free Unite & Advance to Grab The Hope.”
Despite the regime's efforts to restrict news about Suu Kyi, most news journals couldn't resist the chance to boost their sales by pushing the envelope in their coverage of her release.

“True and Flower journals, which came out on Sunday, and Monday's Weekly Eleven sold very well because they carried Suu Kyi's photo and news.

Obama, World Leaders Hail Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's Release

Detailed story, please read HERE

WASHINGTON — US President Barack Obama, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, British Prime Minister David Cameron and Women Nobel Peace laureates have all welcomed the release of Aung San Suu Kyi.

In separate statements, the world leaders urged the military junta to release all political leaders and pave the way for restoration of true democracy in Burma.

“The United States welcomes her long overdue release,” Obama in a statement, while on the last leg of a 10-day tour of four Asian democratic countries – India, Indonesia, South Korea and Japan.

Obama, who has been calling for release of Aung San Suu Kyi ever since he took office in January 2009, said that the popular Burmese leader is “a hero” of his and “a source of inspiration” for all who work to advance basic human rights in Burma and around the world.

“Whether Aung San Suu Kyi is living in the prison of her house, or the prison of her country, does not change the fact that she, and the political opposition she represents, has been systematically silenced, incarcerated, and deprived of any opportunity to engage in political processes that could change Burma. It is time for the Burmese regime to release all political prisoners, not just one,” Obama said.
The United States looks forward to the day when all of Burma’s people are free from fear and persecution, he said. “Following Aung San Suu Kyi’s powerful example, we recommit ourselves to remaining steadfast advocates of freedom and human rights for the Burmese people and accountability for those who continue to oppress them,” said the US president.

Welcoming her release, British Prime Minister David Cameron said, “Aung San Suu Kyi is an inspiration for all of us who believe in freedom of speech, democracy and human rights. Her detention was a travesty, designed only to silence the voice of the Burmese people.”

“Freedom is Aung San Suu Kyi’s right. The Burmese regime must now uphold it,” Cameron said.

Make Suu Kyi release unconditional: Clinton

Aware of the history, Clinton called on the Burmese leaders to ensure that Aung San Suu Kyi’s release is unconditional so that she may travel, associate with her fellow citizens, express her views, and participate in political activities without restriction. They should also immediately and unconditionally release all of Burma’s 2,100 political prisoners, she said.

 “We urge Burma’s leaders to break from their repressive policies and begin an inclusive dialogue with Aung San Suu Kyi and other democratic and ethnic leaders towards national reconciliation and a more peaceful, prosperous, and democratic future,” Clinton said.

Clinton, who has strongly taken up the cause of Aung San Suu Kyi and the people of Burma ever since she was the first lady and later on as the New York senator and now as the Secretary of State, said Aung San Suu Kyi has endured enormous personal sacrifice in her peaceful struggle to bring democracy and human rights to Burma, including unjustified detention for most of the past 20 years.
“The Burmese regime has repeatedly rejected her offers to engage in dialogue and work together, trying instead to silence and isolate her. Through it all, Aung San Suu Kyi’s commitment to the Burmese people has not wavered,” she said.

Her husband, former US President Bill Clinton, said that he is thrilled by the news of her release. “People who love freedom everywhere admire her and the long sacrifice she has made for her people. I was honored to present Aung San Suu Kyi with the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2000 and I hope this signals a new direction for life within the country and for the country's relations with others beyond their borders,” Clinton said.

“In light of recent elections, I also hope that Aung San Suu Kyi's release will lead to the rapid inclusion of her and the Burmese citizens in governance," Clinton said in a statement.

Women Nobel Peace laureates hopeful of meeting her soon
Welcoming the release, Women Nobel Peace Laureates expressed the hope that they will soon have the opportunity to meet with SuuSuu Kyi in person.son.

Obama urges Burma to free democracy leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi

Detailed Story, please read HERE

Aung San Suu Kyi, the iconic face of democracy in Burma (Myanmar), was placed under house arrest in 1989.

(CNN) President Obama on Sunday called for the release of Myanmar democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi and other political prisoners.

"There are clear steps that must be taken: the unconditional release of all political prisoners, including Aung San Suu Kyi; an end to conflicts with minority groups; and a genuine dialogue between the government, the democratic opposition and minority groups," according to Obama, who said the regime should work to ensure its people's needs are met.

He spoke during a meeting with ASEAN-10 leaders that included the prime minister of Myanmar. Obama is the first U.S. president to take part in a summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations economic alliance. The formal meeting was held Sunday.

That 10-nation alliance includes Myanmar, which the United States and other nations have accused of human rights abuses.

U.S. officials were careful to avoid any perception that Obama's presence at the ASEAN meeting would amount to a bilateral discussion with the prime minister of Myanmar.

After years of refusing direct talks with Myanmar, also known as Burma, the United States has indicated a possible re-engagement with the military regime it considers repressive for cracking down on political opposition, including the National League for Democracy.

The league is led by Suu Kyi, a detained Nobel Peace Prize winner.

President Obama, Please Stand Against Burma's Sham Election

This weekend, Burma will hold its sham election. The elections have already been marred by fraud, voter disenfranchisement, and outright vote stealing by Burma's military regime.

In Magwe division, government officials threatened villagers with forced relocation unless they vote for the regime-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDA). Over 3,400 ethnic minority villages will not be allowed to vote, disenfranchising approximately 1.5 million ethnic minorities. Most importantly, this sham election will usher in a constitution where the most powerful person remains the Commander in Chief of the military.

The Burmese regime is hoping this election gives them legitimacy in the international community. The U.S. must stand against these elections and pressure its global allies to stand with us. Email President Obama today calling on him to come out strongly against these elections.

In the lead up to the election, USCB supporters held more than 50 events at universities and communities around the country educating Americans about how the election will exacerbate problems in Burma. In Kachin state, northern region of the country, ethnic leaders fear attacks by the Burmese Army after the coming elections.

Burma's leading democratic groups including the National League for Democracy, the 88 Student Generation, the All Burma Monks Alliance, and ethnic representatives, have come out against this election. Political prisoners are barred from running for office, excluding Aung San Suu Kyi from the ballot. In addition, campaigning is highly restricted and dominated by the military-backed party. Many high-ranking military members recently covered their military uniforms with civilian clothing in order to run in the election.

Critically, this election will bring into power a constitution drafted behind closed doors by the regime cronies. The constitution allows the Commander in Chief to dissolve the parliament at any given time. In other words, the military will still call the shots, post election. To make sure they remain in power, 25% of the parliamentary seats are reserved for the current military members, making it impossible to amend the constitution (which requires over 75% of votes). A former UN Special Rapporteur to Burma recently emphasized that this election is not a step towards democracy but rather a step towards "military consolidation."

Be the voice for the people of Burma. Ask President Obama to denounce the results of Burma's 2010 sham election and to demand a tripartite dialogue between the democratic forces, the ethnic representatives, and the military regime - critical for national reconciliation.

Cyclone Death Toll Increases to 84 in Burma

The death toll in Burma from Cyclone Giri, which hit the country's west coast last Friday, has climbed to at least 84, according to local residents.
Forty-eight bodies were found on Monday in Arakan State's Myebon Township, which was badly hit by the cyclone, local residents said. A further 10 bodies were found in Pauktaw Township in the same state.
Burma's state-run TV made its first mention of casualties on Monday, saying at least 27 people had died and 15 were missing.

The cyclone ripped the roofs off these buildings in Kyakphyu, Arakan State. (Demowaiyan Blog)

The category four cyclone triggered a seven meter tidal surge and heavy rains, damaging roads, bridges, power and telephone lines. 

The state-media said the number of deaths would have been higher if the government had not issued early warnings and evacuated people to safer areas.

However, non-governmental organization (NGO) relief workers in Rangoon say it remains difficult to assess the scale of the casualties and destruction on small islands off the Arakan coast.

“I think the death toll could easily increase to 100,” said a leading member of a local NGO which has sent rescue teams to the affected areas.

According to Rangoon sources, the government has only allowed local staff of international NGOs in Rangoon to visit the affected areas, while foreigners working for those NGOs are restricted to Sittwe, Arakan's state capital.

Oil pipeline fire kills 14 in Myanmar, state TV says

Source: CNN

An oil pipeline fire in Myanmar has killed 14 people and injured more than 121 others, state-run television reported.

Villagers had rushed to collect fuel that was leaking from the pipeline when it ignited, apparently when someone lit a cigarette, the national broadcaster said.

The incident happened near Pakokku, in central Myanmar.

14 Die, Hundreds Injured in Pipeline Fire in Burma

More than a dozen people die and nearly 100 are injured in a explosion and fire near an oil pipeline near a village in Pakoku Township in central Burma on Sunday, according to local residents.
The blaze took place when local villagers were collecting oil leaking from the pipeline.

“While the villagers were skimming the oil, the fire broke out. Eight people were killed and about 70 were injured,” said a local resident. Accounts of the number of dead and injured varied.

Flames reach into the sky on Sunday night after a fire in which more than a dozen people died and scores were injured. (Photo: AFP)

A doctor at a local hospital told The Irrawaddy that he knew of two people dead and 21 people injured in the accident who were are being treated at the hospital.

 
Many of the injured were from Kyaunchaung and Myit Chaykyar villages in Pakoku, said local sources, who added that many of the injured refused to go to a hospital because of fear the authorities would take action against them.

The Agency France Presse news agency reported that 14 people died and more than 100 were injured in the fire. About 200 villagers were collecting oil from the leaking state-owned pipeline when someone lit a flame to see in the dark, said a local resident.
Authorities shut down the 20-mile long pipeline after the fire ignited.  

Burma to Raise New Flag for First Time

Burma's new national flag will be raised for the first time on Thursday afternoon, according to government sources.

After the flag-raising ceremony, which will take place across the country, the country's former flags will be burnt and buried.

The new flag

The new flag, designated in the 2008 Constitution, has a central star set against a yellow, green and red background.

The mysticism that dominates the life of junta leader Snr-Gen Than Shwe will also surround the flag-raising ceremony, sources say. The old flags will be lowered by government department officials who were born on a Tuesday, while the new flags will be raised by officials born on a Wednesday.

One million flags have been made by textile factories, according to sources within the Ministry of Defence.

Other sources said that the regime aimed to fly the new flag during the period of the Burmese general election on Nov. 7.

Cyclone Giri Strikes Burma

With winds peaking at 152 kilometers per hour, cyclone Giri struck Burma's west Arakan State and is forecast to continue into central Burma until late Saturday.

The cyclone struck land near Kyaukphyu, a large island off Arakan's coast, severing phone links in several parts of the region.

After forming over the Bay of Bengal, Giri developed into a “Category II” cyclone on Friday morning, according to Myanmar Climate Change Watch.

The projected path of Cyclone Giri (Map: US Navy)

“The periphery of the cyclone hit the Arakan coast this morning, with the eye of the cyclone striking land around 3 p.m today [Friday],” said Tun Lwin of the local weather board.The cyclone was stronger than forecast on Friday morning, he said, and would likely cross Sagaing, Magwe and Mandalay Divisions.
The US Joint Typhoon Warning Center announced earlier that the cyclone is headed in the direction of Mandalay Division and may make landfall with winds of 148 kph.
State-controlled radio and TV broadcast constant warnings advising people to keep away from electricity poles and tall trees and to believe only official reports about the cyclone rather than rumors, said local residents in Rangoon.

In 2008 May, when Nargis, a category IV cyclone,  hit the Irrawaddy Delta and Rangoon, more than 130,000 people were killed and millions of people were left homeless.

The 65-year-old Nobel Peace Prize winner, Daw Suu, wants to Tweet

Indonesian protesters display banners and placards with pictures of Burmese democracy leader and Nobel Peace Prize-winner Aung San Suu Kyi during a demonstration in front of the Burmese embassy in Jakarta in May 2007. (Photo: Getty Images) 

RANGOON — Burma's detained pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi wants to sign up for a Twitter account once she is released so that she can "tweet" and keep in touch with the younger generation, her lawyer said Monday.

The 65-year-old Nobel Peace Prize winner, who has been detained for 15 of the past 21 years, entered her latest period of detention in May 2003 before the Twitter era started.

Her detention expires on Nov. 13, prompting speculation she will be freed though there has been no such official announcement from the ruling military junta. The country's first election in 20 years will take place days earlier on Nov. 7, timing that analysts say was designed to keep the opposition leader locked away for the polls.

"Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's current wish is to sign up on Twitter when she is released," said her lawyer Nyan Win, who has visited her twice in the past week. "She told me she wants to use Twitter to get in touch with the younger generation inside and outside the country."

"She wishes to be able to tweet every day and keep in touch," he said.

Suu Kyi has no phone line or any access to the Internet, though she has a laptop, Nyan Win said. He described her as computer- and tech-savvy and adept with electronic gadgets.

Under the rules of her detention, Suu Kyi is allowed to read state-controlled newspapers and private local news journals and magazines, to listen to the radio and to watch state-run television but she has no satellite dish to receive foreign broadcasts.

Her lawyers are among the few people allowed to see Suu Kyi, aside from her doctors and occasional visits with UN and foreign dignitaries.

According to July statistics from the state-run Post and Telecommunication Ministry, there are 400,000 internet users in Burma, with the vast majority in the former capital Rangoon and the second-largest city of Mandalay.

Former Archbishop of South Afirca, Tutu will not Stop Support for 'Free Burma'

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CAPE TOWN — The former Archbishop of South Africa, Desmond Tutu, met with a representative from the Free Burma Campaign  in South Africa last week to discuss the  state of affairs of Burma.

She was accompanied by  Burmese citizens who live in Cape Town, who came to show their appreciation for the support Tutu has  given in speaking out against the ruling military junta in Burma. 

Tutu said that although he has stepped down from public office, he will still be a vocal supporter for a free and democratic Burma.

He said that it was only a matter of time until the Burmese military regime is brought down and  democracy will prevail. 

The former archbishop celebrated his 79th birthday last week and officially retired from the public arena. 

Tutu is a strong proponent for human rights and has spoken out against the injustices and human rights violations of various peoples around the world. 

In 2007, Tutu said he was “deeply disappointed” at South Africa’s decision to veto the UN Security Council resolution to demand an end to human rights abuses in Burma. 

Much like South Africa during its apartheid years, the people of Burma today still face human rights violations, discrimination and live under a rule of law where freedom of speech and freedom of press is non-existent.

Tutu has vigorously supported the release of  Aung San Suu Kyi who is currently under house arrest.  A fellow Nobel Laureate, her   National League for Democracy party (the main opposition) was forcibly disbanded by the regime.

With the upcoming national elections about to be held in Burma, it is more important now than ever to make the international public aware of the plight of this often overlooked nation.

Former United Nations Rights Officials Call for Burma Inquiry

Two top former human rights officials of the United Nations on Tuesday urged the European Union to support the establishment of a UN Commission of Inquiry to investigate war crimes and crimes against humanity in Burma, as recommended by the UN Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in Burma.

The request was made by Paulo Sergio Pinheiro of Brazil and Yozo Yokota of Japan, who served as the special rapporteurs on the Situation of Human Rights in Burma in (2000-2008) and (1992-1996), respectively, in a letter to Catherine Ashton, the high representative of the EU.

“As former UN special rapporteurs on human rights in Myanmar [Burma], it is our firm conclusion that the pattern of human rights violations perpetrated by the military regime in Burma/Myanmar is severe, widespread and systematic, and directed at civilians, and may therefore violate international human rights and humanitarian laws,” Pinheiro and Yokota said.

“As the current special rapporteur has concluded, the abuses are a matter of state policy and there is more than sufficient evidence to justify the creation of such a Commission of Inquiry," the letter said.

Pinheiro and Yokota also urged that the EU should propose the commission in a forthcoming UN General Assembly resolution. “It is essential to send a strong message to the regime ahead of the elections that the international community will not continue to tolerate its violations of international humanitarian law and that impunity must end," they wrote.

The letter noted that evidence of the widespread and systematic use of forced labor, rape as a weapon of war, the forcible conscription of child soldiers, religious persecution, torture and killings is well documented and has been presented by many respected human rights organizations including Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, International Federation of Human Rights (FIDH) and Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW), among others.

Copies of the letter were sent to the government of Belgium, the current president of the Council of the European Union, foreign ministers of EU member states and permanent representatives of EU member states to the United Nations in New York and Geneva.

“Since 1996, over 3,500 villages in eastern Burma alone have been destroyed, and at least half a million people internally displaced. Hundreds of thousands have been forced to flee to the borders of neighboring countries, and beyond. These violations of international humanitarian law have been documented by the UN in numerous resolutions by the General Assembly and Human Rights Council, and in our own and other reports of Special Rapporteurs,” the letter said.

The two former UN officials said the new Constitution, which will come into force after the regime’s elections in November, contains a clause providing blanket immunity for all crimes, past, present and future, committed by the military, and guarantees the military a quarter of the parliamentary seats.

“The election laws issued earlier this year, the recent de-registration of Aung San Suu Kyi’s party, the National League for Democracy, and the regime’s decision to exclude many ethnic populations and parties from participating, mean that the forthcoming elections offer little hope of meaningful change in Burma. The elections, in our opinion, will perpetuate military rule and result in continuing human rights violations,” they said.

So far, 13 nations have expressed their support for the establishment of the UN Commission of Inquiry in Burma, including the United States, United Kingdom, France, Czech Republic, Slovakia, the Netherlands, Hungary, Ireland, Lithuania, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and Estonia, which became the 13th supporter on Saturday.

Aung Din of the US Campaign for Burma said the European Union is the major author of the Burma draft resolution at the UN General Assembly and it has been working on a draft in Brussels since September.

Pro-democracy activists including the US Campaign for Burma are pushing the EU to include the language, "calling for the secretary-general to establish a Commission of Inquiry to investigate human rights violations in Burma" in the draft resolution, which will be submitted to the UN General Assembly soon.

So far, the EU hasn't agreed to the proposal.

Source: Irrawaddy

EU-Asia Summit Urges Release of Burma Prisoners

A policeman stands in front of pro-Tibetan activists demonstrating on October 5, in Brussels on the sidelines of the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM). (Photo: Getty Images) 

Leaders of 48 Asian and European countries urged the military junta of Burma to release political prisoners before general elections next month.

The leaders attending the biannual Asian-European Union summit, or ASEM, said they "touched upon the issue" of Aung San Suu Kyi, the opposition leader who has been under house arrest for 15 of the last 21 years, but did not specifically call for her freedom.

But a statement concluding the two-day conference said the release of detainees would help the elections be "more inclusive, participatory and transparent."

The position was included in a "Chair's Statement," which meant it did not require consensus or Burma’s agreement.

Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy was declared illegal after it failed to register by last May to take part in the election, scheduled for Nov. 7. The NLD is boycotting the vote, which it considers undemocratic. Suu Kyi filed a suit earlier Tuesday with Burma’s High Court to declare that the NLD remains a legal party.

Suu Kyi's latest term of 18 months' house arrest is due to expire on Nov. 13, but it was unclear if her detention would be extended by the junta chief, Snr-Gen Than Shwe.

The ASEM statement urged the government to talk with all parties in a process of national reconciliation, saying a free and fair election would be a step toward "a legitimate, constitutional, civilian system of government."

Source: Irrawaddy News

ASEM (Asian Europe Meeting) Will Call on Junta to Hold Free and Fair Elections

One month ahead of Burma's November elections, Asian and European leaders attending the 8th Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) in Brussels are scheduled to issue a statement on Tuesday that will reportedly press the Burmese junta to hold free, fair and inclusive elections.

The 46 nations attending ASEM will also call on Burma to release its more than 2,100 political prisoners, including pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi. “The timely release of those under detention would contribute to these elections being more inclusive, participatory and transparent,” said a draft of the ASEM chairman's summary obtained by several news organizations. 

Burmese Foreign Minister Nyan Win, second from right, along with other participants in the 8th Asia-Europe Meeting. (Photo: eutrio.be)

In connection with ASEM, the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) released a statement that urged ASEM attendees to take action against the Burmese junta and called for the release of political detainees and the end of suppression of ethnic minorities and democracy supporters.

The ITUC added that it was concerned that “some in the international community are viewing the national elections in Burma next month as a reason to relax pressure on the regime.”

“The elections are deeply flawed: pro-democracy voices have been excluded, other parties have been prevented from campaigning effectively, and regardless of the outcome of the vote, the military is guaranteed effective control of government under a flawed constitution,” the ITUC statement said.

Burmese Prime Minister Thein Sein, who has not attended any ASEM, sent Foreign Minister Nyan Win to represent Burma's military regime.

Previously, the 7th ASEM, held in Beijing in 2008, called on the Burmese junta to engage all stakeholders in an inclusive political process for national reconciliation and economic and social development.

“In this regard, they [the ASEM leaders] called for the lifting of restrictions placed on political parties and early further release of those under detention,” said the statement of the ASEM chairman. 
In the run-up to the Nov. 7 election, Burma's first in 20 years, Burma continues to keep political dissidents in prison and exclude them from the political process. The National League for Democracy, Burma's main opposition group led by Suu Kyi, has boycotted the polls.

The junta is likely to face another international call for free, fair and inclusive polls during the 17th Summit of the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN) to be held in Hanoi on Oct 28-30, which US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is scheduled to attend.

The 46 ASEM countries include the 27 members of the European Union and the 10 members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, plus Australia, China, India, Japan, Mongolia, New Zealand, Pakistan, Russia and South Korea.

The Case for a Burmese Vote

Source: NYTimes.com

The elections set for Nov. 7 in Myanmar are a travesty of democracy — but they are welcome nonetheless.

Their main purpose is to dress the military regime in new civilian-looking clothes; a secondary purpose is to appease international criticism by putting on an electoral show. The possibility of real change in the power structure is the last thing the generals have in mind.

Yet the generals are sowing some seeds of change which might in time flower into something more plural and democratic, and provide regional as well as national forums for future debate. Meanwhile money from gas, minerals and privatization of state assets is seeping into a once austere military-socialist system, corrupting it and slowly undermining it.

In short, it is hard to argue that Myanmar will be any worse after the elections than it is now. It might start getting better.

The main opposition group, the National League for Democracy headed by Aung San Suu Kyi, whose victory in the 1990 election was overturned by the military, has good reason to boycott the polls. Its leader is under house arrest and unable to run. The apparatus of an oppressive regime and its captive media makes campaigning — and boycott calls — hazardous. Hundreds of political prisoners remain in jail, including monks held in the wake of the 2007 demonstrations in which many were killed. Government-backed parties, principally the Union Solidarity Development Party and its allies in ethnic minority regions, are destined to win. The military also has 25 percent of the seats allotted to it.
In the longer run the N.L.D. itself may be best served by its boycott. But Myanmar could also be served by the prospect that a few members from other opposition parties will be elected and create a thin democratic wedge.

A comparison can be made between Myanmar and the last decade of Suharto’s rule in Indonesia, when some parliamentary opposition became possible and, as the offspring of generals, sought wealth and business through access to government contracts and privatizations. Pluralism and competition began to sprout.

Of course there are many differences, not least that Suharto had a relatively open economy. But in Myanmar the generals are taking off their uniforms to become civilian ministers. Their families and associates are enjoying the fruits of privatization, and opening bank accounts in Singapore.

However badly managed Myanmar’s economy and its major domestic enterprises may be, plenty of money will come from new gas, pipeline and power projects to keep many a well-connected ex-officer in the style to which Southeast Asian businessmen have long been accustomed, and there will be many opportunities to acquire state and joint-venture assets. The power of money will be diversified.
Competition is growing for foreign deals after years in which China had a near-monopoly. In response to India’s bid for Myanmar gas and American attempts, so far unsuccessful, to engage with the military, China has been further bolstering its ties, most recently by inviting the Myanmar leader Than Shwe to Beijing. China is well aware that the United States is now more interested in limiting China’s influence than punishing the generals for repression.

While China officially welcomes the approaching elections, it may well be worried about the weakening of its own influence in the long run, or of a nationalist backlash against Chinese influence. Indians once ran much of Myanmar’s trade, only to be expelled, and have their assets seized, following the 1962 military coup.

The ultimate impact of elections on Myanmar’s rebellious ethnic minorities is also an issue for China — as it is for the integrity of a Myanmar in which only 70 percent of the population is ethnic Burmese. A semblance of democracy and devolution could start to bring an end to decades of intermittent conflict — or it could be the precursor of more warfare, particularly in the Shan and Kachin states, which abut China’s Yunnan Province.

China wants peace in these regions, but preferably through the government’s accommodation with rebel groups and not central government control. It wants to avoid crises such as the one in 2009, when 30,000 refugees fled to China to escape an army offensive. Meanwhile the Yunnan provincial government and Chinese businessmen mostly just want uninterrupted trade — which includes drugs and illegal mining and logging.

For Myanmar as a whole, the generals are trying to modernize their control system. But whether in the longer term they can keep control of change is questionable. Therein lies hope.

US Congressman called to Release Daw Aung San Suu Kyi Now

WASHINGTON—A key US lawmaker on Thursday called on the Burmese military regime to set Aung San Suu Kyi free and says rumors that she will be released in November are a ploy to gain legitimacy in the upcoming election..

“We've seen this 'catch and release' game by the Burmese junta before—they release Aung San Suu Kyi to create a facade of change and then turn around and unfairly arrest her again," Congressman Joseph Crowley said.

“If the military junta was really serious about making changes and carrying forward fair and democratic elections, they would release her now, along with the other members of her party,” said the congressman from New York who has sponsored several laws and resolutions against the military junta in the past.

"Unfortunately, the claim that they may release her is a ploy to legitimize these unfair elections, and further proof that the junta will do or say just about anything to maintain power," he said.
Meanwhile, several lawmakers from both the Republican and Democratic parties introduced a resolution in the House of Representatives condemning the Burmese military regime’s undemocratic upcoming elections on Nov. 7.

The resolution denounces the regime’s election as “the one-sided, undemocratic and illegitimate actions of the State Peace and Development Council [official name of the regime] that seeks to legitimize military rule through a flawed election process”.

Welcoming the resolution, Aung Din of the United States Campaign for Burma, said: “This is a timely and necessary action on the part of the US Congress to warn the US administration not to wait and see, but to take effective action without further delay to stop the regime’s plan to build a permanent military dictatorship in Burma, with the help of China, India, and North Korea.”
The resolution denounces the regime’s dissolution of the National League for Democracy (NLD) party, led by Suu Kyi.

The resolution says that “no government in Burma can be considered democratic or legitimate without the participation of Aung San Suu Kyi, the NLD, and ethnic nationalities and the full restoration of democracy, freedom of assembly, freedom of movement, freedom of speech, freedom of the press, and internationally recognized human rights for all Burmese citizens.”

An influential American lawmaker on Thursday also introduced a resolution in the US House of Representatives calling on the Burmese regime to immediately recognize the Rohingya people “as full and equal citizens of Burma.”

The resolution, introduced by Congressman Christopher Smith, also urges the Burmese military regime to lift all restrictions on movement, marriage and access to education. It calls for an end to the regime’s campaign of religious and ethnic persecution “amounting to crimes against humanity throughout Burma.”

Co-sponsored by Congressman James McGovern and Joseph Pitts, the resolution urges the government of Bangladesh to address “the dire humanitarian conditions and food insecurity in the makeshift camps” along its border with Burma, in co-operation with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), and to “desist from forcing unregistered Rohingya to return to Burma.”

It also highlights the situation of Rohingyas in Saudi Arabia and urges the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to allow Rohingyas “access to education and livelihoods.”

Addressing Burma’s crimes against humanity, the resolution urges the US to “proactively support” the recommendation by the UN Special Rapporteur for Human Rights in Burma for the establishment of a UN Commission of Inquiry.

“This legislation underscores the plight and human rights abuses endured by the Rohingyas with the hope and expectation that the light of scrutiny will result in new actions by the many governments that can and should provide assistance and refuge to the Rohingyas,” said Congressman Smith.

Burma Abuzz Over Possible Release of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi

RANGOON — The detention of Burma's democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi expires early next month, but officials said Friday that only the ruling junta chief knows exactly when she will be granted freedom.

The Nobel Peace laureate has been locked away for 15 of the past 21 years, ever since her opposition party swept the country's last elections in 1990, and the military refused to cede power.

Her latest term of house arrest ends Nov. 13, just days after the junta plans to hold the first elections since those ignored polls—timing that analysts say is hardly coincidental. There is wide speculation the junta will release her as an olive branch to the international community after its expected win in elections that many observers have decried as so rigged as to be meaningless.

But Suu Kyi's detention is considered a matter of national security and officials say any decision to release her would be made at the last-minute by Snr-Gen Than Shwe, the junta chief.

"We can assume that she will be released on Nov. 13, but we cannot say with certainty that it will happen. Only the junta chief will know if or when the release can happen," said one of two officials interviewed. "It is too early to say that she will be released on Nov. 13."

Both officials spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter.

Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy opposition party is boycotting the elections, which it calls unfair and undemocratic. As a result of not registering for the polls, the party has been dissolved, leaving no group that can effectively challenge the junta-backed party, which is expected to sweep the polls.

Critics call the country's first elections in two decades a sham and say the military shows no sign of genuinely relinquishing power.

The London-based rights group Burma Campaign UK issued a statement to express caution over recent reports about Suu Kyi's imminent freedom.

"We'll believe it when we see it," said Mark Farmaner, the group's director. "Regime officials have said similar things in the past, and Aung San Suu Kyi has remained in detention."

If Suu Kyi is released, it would be wrong to attach too much political significance to it, Farmaner said.
"She has been released twice before without there being any political change in the country," he said. "It is more likely that the dictatorship will try to use her release to attempt to persuade the international community to relax pressure on them."

The international community has long demand the release of Suu Kyi and more than 2,100 political prisoners.

Censors Bar Reporting of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's Voting Right

Rangoon residents read state-run and private publications at a city stall (photo: AP)

  Burma's press censors have barred domestic news agencies from reporting about pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi's name appearing on the electoral role in the November election, according to sources in Rangoon's media.

An executive editor from a news journal told The Irrawaddy that when private journals tried to report that Suu Kyi and her companions—Khin Khin Win and Win Ma Ma—were included in the voters' list of No.1 Golden Valley Ward, Bahan Township in Rangoon, the Ministry of Information's Press Scrutiny and Registration Division (PSRD) prevented them from doing so.

“The PSRD didn't allow us to report about Suu Kyi getting the right to vote because it didn't want to see her name in the media. In fact, news about a person's voting right would not affect anyone,” the editor said, adding that Suu Kyi was not included when the eligible voters' list was first announced on September 20 but her name was added on Sept. 23.

On Monday, however, the English version of The Myanmar Times reported that Suu Kyi and her companions were included on the electoral roll but Suu Kyi could only cast her vote in advance since she was under house arrest. The Burmese-language edition of the same publication and other Burmese media were prevented from reporting the story.

Apart from restricting mention of Suu Kyi's name and news related to the 1990 election and the National League for Democracy on the media, the PSRD reportedly continues to bar any reporting that criticizes the 2008 Constitution and negative opinion regarding the upcoming election.
“There is no freedom of information in the country, though private media constantly struggles against the restrictions,” said a journalist in Rangoon, doubting that private media will be allowed to freely report during the election.

The PSRD issued a directive in July warning private media to be careful carrying news about the election laws and the Constitution, saying that any criticism and incorrect reporting on these issues would lead to a permanent revocation of publishing permit.

A politician in Rangoon said that without media freedom the coming election in Burma cannot be free and fair.

The PSRD also reportedly forced news journals to carry articles saying that calling for an election boycott contravenes the election law and can be punished with a 5-20 year prison term and a 100,000 kyat [US $107] fine.

The PSRD reportedly also censored news about the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) using the state budget for election campaign activities such as road construction and giving out loans and has removed news related to the number of confirmed voters for the USDP and its attempt to collect advance votes.

Thirty-seven political parties, including the USDP lead by the military regime's incumbent premier Thein Sein, will contest the election on Nov. 7.

Waihnin Pwint Thon Speaks for Burma and Political Prisoners at the UK Labor Party Conference

Source: http://enigmaimages.wordpress.com/

The issue of Political Prisoners and Burma has taken centre stage today at the annual British Labour Party conference being held in Manchester, UK. The short film made about this political prisoner work was shown as an introduction to the most incredible speech ever given in this country by anyone at any political conference or meeting about Burma. Waihnin Pwint Thon, daughter of jailed 88 Generation Student leader Ko Mya Aye, and one of the leading campaigners for Burma and political prisoners in her own right, gave an extraordinarily powerful speech that not only defied her young age, but deserved the lengthy standing ovation it received.


Powerful Speech: Please Click HERE

Dressed in white out of memory for her father and his colleagues of the 88 Generation Students, she brought back memories of the famous speech Daw Aung San Suu Kyi delivered at the west gates of the Shwedagon Pagoda on 26th August 1988. Today Waihnin delivered a powerful speech that elevated the issue of Burma to centre stage of the newly formed Labour Party at this most crucial time with elections fast approaching and on the day the UN General Assembly meets to discuss Burma.

Please forward this link to everyone, everywhere.

Waihnin Pwint Thon demands the release of her father Mya Aye

UN Secretary General Ban Convenes 'Friends of Burma' Meeting

Please read the detailed story HERE

US President Barack Obama (L) listens to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon(C) as he participates in the luncheon at the United Nations General Assembly on September 23 at United Nations in New York City, New York. (Photo: Getty Images)  

WASHINGTON—UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has convened a meeting of his 14-nation “Group of Friends” on Burma to discuss the current situation in the country and the Nov. 7 general election, which most of the Western world said lacks legitimacy.

The meeting on Monday evening in New York will be attended by several top diplomats, including some foreign ministers who are currently attending a General Assembly session at the UN headquarters. However, diplomatic sources said that the Burma meeting is unlikely to yield any results.

It is expected that the UN will issue a statement expressing its concern over the current situation in Burma and reiterate its call to the military junta to ensure that the election is free and fair. The meeting will be attended by Ban’s Chef de Cabinet Vijai Nambiar, who is temporarily overseeing the Good Offices of the Secretary-General on Burma.

Nine months after the secretary-general removed Special Envoy on Burma Ibrahim Gambari, Ban is yet to find a suitable replacement.              

Reflecting the disappointment of the pro-democracy Burmese people living in exile in the United States, Aung Din of the US Campaign for Burma said he does not expect anything from the UN Friends of Burma meeting. He said there will be division as usual among the 14 members of this group: Australia, Indonesia, Russia, the US, China, Japan, Singapore, Vietnam, France, Norway, Thailand, India, Portugal and the United Kingdom.

“As long as Ban Ki-moon does not assert his moral authority and demand these nations exercise a collective and effective pressure on the regime, this meeting will be nothing more than another public relations show by the UN,” Aung Din told The Irrawaddy.

“The military regime in Burma does not care about their hollow voices. It cares only about actions, such as a UN Commission of Inquiry and a total rejection of its sham election,” he said. The US Campaign for Burma, along with several other organizations, has been pressing the world body for a Commission of Inquiry into war crimes and crimes against humanity against the military junta, which has of late gained support from a host of Western countries including the US, Britain, Canada and France.

Meanwhile, US State Department Spokesman P J Crowley said that, at this point of time, it was not clear if this issue would be brought up for discussion at the Friends of Burma meeting at the UN on Monday. “I don't know if that's going to be brought up at this meeting or not. Let's wait and see,” he said, adding that that US plans to go through a “full range of issues” at the meeting.

Following his meeting with the leaders of the Association of Southest Asian Nations (Asean) in New York last week, US President Barack Obama renewed his call for the Burmese junta to release all political prisoners, including Aung San Suu Kyi.

“The president believes in the importance of democratic reform and protection of human rights and renews his call on Burma to embark on a process of national reconciliation by releasing all political prisoners, including Aung San Suu Kyi, and by holding free and fair elections in November,” the White House said in a statement after the meeting.

Obama and the Asean leaders agreed on the importance of stopping the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and highlighted their concerns about North Korea and Iran in the joint statement they issued, the White House said.

Last week in his meeting with Asean leaders, the UN secretary-general made a passionate appeal to help move Burma toward democracy. “I count on your support in encouraging Myanmar’s engagement with my Good Offices,” he said. “I am sorry that I have to specifically have one visional issue among 10 Asean countries, but this has become somewhat of a common concern among all issues.”

Noting that the UN and Asean share the aim of stability and development in Burma, the secretary-general said they all agree on the critical need for a democratic transition and national reconciliation, and for ensuring free, fair and inclusive elections.

“Failure to meet these expectations could undermine the credibility of the process, which, in turn, could reflect on Asean’s collective values and principles,” Ban said. “At the same time, we must also help Myanmar, so that they can address these humanitarian and development challenges.
“With Asean's support, I am committed to continue working with the government and people of Myanmar to enable a successful transition to civilian and democratic rule,” he added.
Earlier this month, Ban voiced his concern at the decision by Burma's election commission to dissolve 10 political parties, including Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy. 

262 Monks and Nuns Still in Burmese Prisons

Three years after Burma's military regime crushed monk-led protests in September 2007, at least 262 Buddhist monks and nuns remain behind bars, according to an exiled human rights group based in Thailand.

At an event marking the third anniversary of the uprising, known as the Saffron Revolution, the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners—Burma (AAPP) said that there are currently 256 monks and six nuns still in the country's notorious prisons, including some who are old and in poor health.

“According to our data, Burma holds more clerics behind bars than any other country. It is quite unfortunate that the Burmese military regime often claims it is promoting Buddhism,” said Bo Kyi, the joint-secretary of the AAPP.

“We have learned that the well-known leading monk Ashin Gambari, who is currently being held in Kale Prison [near the Indian-Burmese border], is not well due to torture and other mistreatment during interrogation and in prison,” he added.

Ashin Gambira was arrested in November 2007 and later sentenced to 63 years in prison for his role in the protests.

His sentence is second only to that of Ashin Nanda Vantha in its severity. Ashin Nanda Vantha, who is currently being held in Lashio Prison, in northern Shan State, is serving a 71-year sentence after being found guilty of a variety of charges related to the uprising.

More than 30 people are believed to have been killed when the military moved in to end the demonstrations, including Japanese photojournalist Kenji Nagai. No Burmese military official has ever been charged in connection with Nagai's murder, and despite repeated requests from the Japanese government, his belongings—including video footage of the military assault on protesters—have never been returned.

None of the victims' families are likely to see justice anytime soon. It has recently been learned that several of the leading commanders responsible for the crackdown have been promoted and may be in line to hold high-level positions after this year's election, which will see a return to ostensibly civilian rule.

It is believed that the crackdown was overseen by former Lt-Gen Myint Swe under the orders of the office of the Commander-in-Chief (Army). Assisting him in carrying out the orders was Maj-Gen Hla Htay Win, the then commander of the Rangoon Regional Military Command, and Brig-Gen Win Myint, the former commander of Light Infantry Division 77.   

Myint Swe retired from his military post as part of a reshuffle in late August and is now a candidate of the junta-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) for the Rangoon regional parliament, running in Seikgyi Khanaungto Township.

Observers in Rangoon say he is tipped by junta head Snr-Gen Than Shwe to become chief minister of the Rangoon region, where Burma’s largest city and chief commercial hub are located, after the Nov. 7 election.

Hla Htay Win has also risen significantly since the crackdown. A year after the uprising was crushed, he was promoted from major general to lieutenant general and reappointed chief of armed forces training and made a member of the ruling State Peace and Development Council. 
Win Myint, whose LID 77 was responsible for killing Nagai and an unknown number of protesters on Sept. 27, 2007, subsequently became Hla Htay Win's successor as Rangoon regional commander post and was promoted to major general. In the latest reshuffle, he was promoted to the position of military appointment general.

Marking the third anniversary of the Saffron Revolution—Burma's largest mass uprising against military rule in two decades—New York-based Human Rights Watch called for “an open and impartial investigation into the violence.”

In its statement, the group also called on the United States and Southeast Asian leaders to press the Burmese junta to end its escalating campaign of repression, release more than 2,100 political prisoners and start a genuine dialogue with the democratic opposition.

However, the regime shows no signs of relenting in its efforts to snuff out dissent. In February, it sentenced former political prisoner and monk Ashin Nyana to 22 years in prison for writing a Buddhist tract calling on monks to be more involved in worldly affairs. Currently held in Myitkyina Prison in Kachin State, he also served sentences in the 1980s and 1990s.  

US President Obama Urges Burma to Embark on Process of Reconciliation

WASHINGTON — US President Barack Obama on Friday urged the Burmese leadership to embark on a process of national reconciliation by releasing all political prisoners, including Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi.

Obama renewed his call during a meeting with the leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) in New York, held on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly. The meeting was attended by Burmese Foreign Minister Nyan Win, but there was no direct contact between him and the US president.

US President Barack Obama walks on the podium before a group photo with Asean leaders on Friday. Standing at the center behind Obama is Burmese FM Nyan Win. (Photo: Getty Images)

“The president believes in the importance of democratic reform and protection of human rights and renews his call on Burma to embark on a process of national reconciliation by releasing all political prisoners including Aung San Suu Kyi and by holding free and fair elections in November,” the White House said in a statement after the meeting.

In a joint statement issued together with their US counterpart, the Asean leaders said they “welcomed the continued US engagement with the government of Myanmar [Burma]” and expressed hope that “Asean and US engagement encourages Myanmar to undertake political and economic reforms to facilitate national reconciliation.”

Reiterating a call made at the first US-Asean meeting in Singapore last November, the statement said this year's election in Burma must be “conducted in a free, fair, inclusive and transparent manner in order to be credible for the international community.”

“We emphasized the need for Myanmar to continue to work together with Asean and the United Nations in the process of national reconciliation,” the joint statement said.

Meanwhile, in Washington, the State Department reiterated that the US does not believe that the election in November will be legitimate.

“We have made it clear all along that we think the Nov. 7 elections are going to lack legitimacy,” State Department spokesman Mark Toner said.

“We obviously remain concerned about the oppressive political environment in the country and we urge the authorities to release all the political prisoners, including Aung San Suu Kyi, and I believe there’s 2,100 additional political prisoners,” he said.

“We don’t believe those elections can be free or fair, and we continue to urge the Burmese authorities to begin a genuine political dialogue with the democratic opposition … and also the ethnic minority leaders, as a first step towards national reconciliation,” Toner said.

Human rights groups welcome France’s support for a Commission of Inquiry into Burma crimes

Media release from FIDH, Human Rights Watch, Info-Birmanie and French Human Rights League
BURMA – War crimes and crimes against humanity

FIDH, Human Rights Watch, Info-Birmanie and French Human Rights League demand the set-up of an international commission of inquiry

They welcome France’s statement and urge the EU to support this initiative at the UN General Assembly

During a press conference held on Wednesday 22 September in Paris, the organizations Info-Birmanie, Human Rights Watch, the French Human Rights League and FIDH unanimously welcomed the statement made by France supporting the establishment of a commission of inquiry on crimes against humanity and war crimes perpetrated in Burma.

Isabelle Dubuis, Info-Birmanie’s coordinator, stated “this commission of inquiry is long overdue; its establishment would demonstrate the right to justice of the victims and would materialize the international community’s repeated calls to finally put an end to human rights abuses in Burma.” Jean-Marie Fardeau, Human Rights Watch France director “regrets that the European Union has not yet taken a public stand. We believe a joint EU position would be a strong signal sent to the others United Nations member states.” Souhayr Belhassen, President of the FIDH, reminded that “this commission is not only necessary to put an end to crimes but also awaited to bring justice to Burma.”

As the 2010 UN General Assembly has opened in New York, the French government has publicly stated its support to the set-up of an international commission of inquiry to investigate the numerous allegations of international crimes perpetrated in Burma. During the 15th session of the Human Rights Council, France’s permanent representative stated that: “Human rights are still systematically violated and France expressed its support for the Special Rapporteur’s recommendation to establish an international commission of inquiry and urges the Burmese government to fully cooperate with the latter.”

In March 2010, M. Quintana, UN Special Rapporteur on the human rights situation in Burma/Myanmar, characterized human rights violations committed in the country as being “widespread and systematic” and as being “the result of a State policy”.  His recommendation to the UN was to consider establishing the commission of inquiry on crimes against humanity and war crimes. It is the first time in twenty years that a senior UN official makes such a recommendation. His predecessor M. Pinheiro, who partook in the panel of the press conference, declared: “I am very pleased that France has joined this ‘group of honour’ of countries supporting the commission of inquiry”.

Since March, support in favour of this initiative has increased: several countries including the United States, Australia, Canada and European countries such as the Netherlands, Hungary and Czech Republic have declared their support for a UN international commission of inquiry. France is today the ninth country to take a public stand in favour of such a commission. In France, 60 MPs have urged the French government to publicly stand in favour of a commission of inquiry to put an end to the culture of impunity that has been spreading in Burma for decades and prevent the perpetration of new crimes and abuses.

The evidences gathered by different UN agencies and Burmese and international organizations are appalling: the destruction since 1996 of over 3500 villages, the overwhelming number of arbitrary killings, forced disappearances and rapes, the forced displacement of over a million people and the forced recruitment of dozens of thousands of child soldiers.

Daw Aung San Suu Kyi Receives Award

She may have been detained, silenced and barred from all political activity in Burma, but Aung San Suu Kyi's struggle for democracy was recognized on Monday when she received en absentia an honorary individual membership title from the Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats (CALD).

CALD is a regional alliance of Asian liberal and democratic political parties, established in 1993.

Aung San Suu Kyi (PHOTO: Getty Images)

On the sidelines of the UK Liberal Democrats annual conference currently being held in Liverpool in England, a plaque was received on Suu Kyi’s behalf by well-known Karen activist Zoya Phan, the international coordinator of Burma Campaign UK.

CALD’s executive committee previously decided to bestow the honorary individual membership title to Suu Kyi at its meeting held in Makati City, the Philippines, on June 29, 2010. She is the first person to be awarded such a title by the organization.
In a press release on Monday, CALD said, “In bestowing the honorary individual membership title to Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, CALD once again affirms its unwavering support and solidarity to the people of Burma in their continuing struggle for justice, freedom and democracy.”
Suu Kyi has been detained for 15 of the last 21 years, mostly under house arrest and separated from her family. Leader of the disbanded National League for Democracy, she is banned from voting in the Nov. 7 general election.

Despite her incarceration, Suu Kyi is admired not only by Burmese people nationwide and around the world, but by the international community at large. She has received more than 80 international awards, including the Nobel Peace Prize, which she received en absentia in 1991.

In June, Pakistan presented Suu Kyi with the Benazir Bhutto Shaheed Award for her lifelong commitment to democracy and the welfare of her people.

In May 2009, Suu Kyi was named as the recipient of the annual Mahatma Gandhi International Award for Peace and Reconciliation. The prize, also known as the MAGI Award, is given to those who inspire young people to make a commitment to nonviolence, forgiveness and reconciliation.

On Aug. 11, 2009, almost three months after she was due to be freed from her illegal six-year period of house arrest, Suu Kyi was sentenced to an additional three years in prison, which was then commuted to 18 months of house arrest under Section 401(5) of the Criminal Procedure Code.

Suu Kyi is due to be released when her period of house arrest ends on Nov. 13.

Philippines President Acquino Asked to Support UN Inquiry into Junta War Crimes

A leading international rights group, Human Right Watch (HRW), called on Philippines President Benigno S. Aquino III on Monday to support the establishment of the UN-created International Commission of Inquiry for Burma.

The international Commission of Inquiry (CoI) would investigate human rights abuses, crimes against humanity and possible war crimes committed by the Burmese military regime in Burma.

In an open letter send by the New York-based rights group to President Aquino, the HRW said, “We urge the Philippine government to join other states to publicly support the establishment of an International Commission of Inquiry for Burma and to actively engage on behalf of a UN resolution that will make it happen.”

“We encourage you to raise this issue within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), which could be accomplished at the US-ASEAN summit later this week in New York,” said the letter.
HRW also highlighted the importance of the Philippines publicly supporting the CoI for Burma and that such commission should investigate reports of violations of international human rights and humanitarian law in Burma by all parties since 2002 and identify perpetrators of such violations with a view to ensuring that those responsible are held accountable.

For more than a decade, impunity for serious human rights violations has continued in Burma. An international inquiry would be a significant step toward justice, said the letter.

According to human rights groups, the Burmese junta's troops and the ethnic armed groups have been responsible for numerous serious violations of international human rights and humanitarian law, including sexual violence against women and girls, deliberate and indiscriminate attacks on civilians, summary executions of civilians and captured combatants, torture, use of child soldiers, attacks on populations' livelihood and food supplies, forced displacement of populations and use of anti-personnel landmines. Non-state armed groups in Burma also have been implicated in serious abuses, including forced labor, recruitment of child soldiers, and anti-personnel landmine use.

In the letter, the HRW also asked President Aquino,“In your inaugural address, you said that 'there can be no reconciliation without justice. When we allow crimes to go unpunished, we give consent to their occurring over and over again.'" This rings particularly true for Burma, where abuses by the military government, as well as by armed ethnic minority groups, have gone unpunished for decades.

“In promoting human rights in Burma, you would be following your mother's lead. Former President Corazon Aquino stood strong for justice in Burma,” said the letter.

The effort to establish a CoI was initiated in March by UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Burma Tomás Ojea Quintana. It is already supported by Australia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, the Slovak Republic, the UK and the US.